Apparatus for opening and closing doors



l Sept. 27, 1938.

||.A wooD'wARD vAPPARATUS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING DOORS Filed June 1, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheetdl INVENTOR.

ATToRNEYs A BY l l Sept. 2'7, 1938. i H. wooDwARD INVENTOR o o o v Q MM M I ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 27, 1938 APPARATUS Fon OPENING AND cLosiNc nooas Hake Woodward, Los Angeles, Calif. Application June .1, 193s, serial No. 82,125

'ZOlaimsL This invention relates to an invention for opening and closing doors, and more particularly to an apparatus for opening and closing heavy doors such, for example, as garage doors.

Many types of garage doors of the so-called overhead type have been developed and are now in general use. These overhead doors are generally of two types, that is, one which is operated through a counterweignt so that the weight of the door is balanced permitting the door to be swung into open orl closed position easily, and secondly, wherein the counterweighting of the door is performed through spring means which act equivalent to the counterweight.

Many forms of opening or closing devices have been suggested for use in connection with the doors generally and there has .been for some period of time a particular demand for a device which might be conveniently and easily adapted to a door for opening and closing the door automatically or from a point remote from the door itself.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device for opening and closing doors wherein a measured quantity of water is utilized for the moving of the door to the desired position to overcome the effect of a counterweight or spring and which quantity of water is then disposed of to permit the counterweight or springs to return the door to the opposite position.

It is a further object of this invention to prov ide a means wherein a door such, for example, as a garage door, may be opened or closed due to the addition of a balancing mechanism of such a door, by a measured quantity of water'to move the door in the desired direction, and which quantity of water may be disposed of after the door is moved to the desired position permitting the door to return to the opposite position andin which construction means are provided for permitting the said door opening and closing means to be actuated at a point remote from the door.

Other objects and advantages of this invention it is believed will be apparent from the following -detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying" drawings.

In the drawings: l

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view-of a door and door actuating mechanism embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is an elevation partly in vertical section thereof.

Figure 3 is a sectional end elevation taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

(ci. zes-co) Figure 4 is a sectional plan view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmental detail partly in vertical section.

Figure 6 is a further enlarged fragmental detail partly in section illustrating one form of latch means which may be embodied in my invention.

In the drawings I indicates a dodr of the overhead type and as herein illustrated, the door I is of the counterweighted type, but it is obvious that my invention is equally applicable to other v forms of balanced or over-balanced doors wherein either counterweights or springs are utilized for balancing the door or may be utilized for moving the 'door to one of its desired positions.

The door I is indicated as applied to a garage 2 or other outbuilding. The means for actuating the door I embodying my invention may be controlled bya means 3 upon a post 4 located at any desired position either within or exterior to the dwelling yor house with which the outbuilding is connected and at a point where it may be readily accessible from a motor vehicle approaching the outbuilding 2 as an example.

v The door I in the particular illustration ofthe counterbalanced door herein set forth is connected to brackets 5 at its opposite sides, and the bracketsS are journaled on trunnions 6 carried within the structure of the building 2. An arm 'I extends rearwardly from the trunnion 6 and is provided with counterweights 8 which may if desired be adjustably secured to the arm 'lby means of set screws 9.

Ordinarily as constructed, the counterweights 8 are positioned upon the arm 1 in such position as to balance the weight of the door I and the brackets 5 so that an operator of the door, by

lthe exercise of a little energy, may move the door to or from closed position. In accordance with my invention, the counterweight 8 or the spring used in 'a similar position is utilized for moving the door to one of its desired positions, for example, to the open position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2 of this embodiment of my invention.

In order to move the door to the opposite or closed position, I provide upon the door I a closed water container I0 into which a measured quanf tity of water is introduced when it is desired to close theidoor through a connection II leading from any suitable source of water supply. Asherein illustrated-for the purpose of convenience, the water supply pipe II is adapted to one of the brackets 5 and extends downwardly into the water container I0. ,-The means for controlling the admission of water into the container III from the supply pipe II may be suitably located Yline II.

at any desired position as, for example, upon the post 4 at a point remote from the building 2 where it may be actuated for example from the seat of a motor vehicle when the motor vehicle approaches or is leaving the garage or building 2. In order to permit the door to return to the opposite or open position after water has been admitted into the container I0, a valve I2 is provided in the container I0, which valve I2 may be normally held in closed position by means of a spring I3. In order to discharge the water from the container I 0 to permit the door I to return to the open position, a valve contacting member I4 is mounted in position to engage the stem I5 of the valve I2. The valve contacting member I4 may be, as illustrated, a perforated guard for a sewer outlet I6 into which the water from the container I0 is discharged when the door I is closed. As so far indicated, the admission of water into the container would cause the door to close and as the door is closed and the valve I3 is opened, the counterweight 8 would again open the door. In order to maintain the door in. closed position against the eiect of the counterweight 8 a latch of any desired character may be employed. One form of suchlatch is indicated as of the remote control type. In order to avoid the necessity of providing in such a structureA an additional lock, the latch I1 may bel located upon the inside of the garage 2 in position to latch the garage door I in closed position when moved to closed position under the iniluence of the Water admitted into the container I Il.

The latch I1 is generally of the spring plunger type, the plunger of which is adapted to engage Within a latch recess I8 formed inthe door I and to remain in the latched position until actuated by some exterior means. A

I have indicated diagrammatically a solenoid actuated type of valve, the solenoid of which is connected by means of current supply lines 20 to a switch '2I mounted on the p ost 4 in the Ysame position as the control means for the water supply The latch is indicated in position to engage the upper end of the door but might be positioned in any other desired point.l

The operation of the opening and closing device embodying my invention is: With the door closed in the position indicated in Figure 2, and when it is desired to open the door I, the latch I'I is released by completing the current supply to the solenoid which actuates the latch plunger, thereby withdrawing the plunger of the latch from the recess I8. The eounterweight 8 then causes the door to rise from vthe full line position of Figure l to the dotted line position, and the motor vehicle or other device enters the garage.

The operator on leaving the garage opens the valve supplying the water to the container I0 and the door slowly closes as the water overcomes the influence of the weight. When the door moves other types or counterbalance doors which move upwardlyrather than around a pivot support,

and which doors are balanced by'weights or springs to enable them to be easily actuated.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a garage door structure, the combination `of adoor, means-for pivotally supporting the door to permit the door to swing to and from closed position, means normally maintaining the door in one position', a closed water container, and means for supplying water to the container to move the door to the other position, a valve in with referenceto said overbalancing means to cause the door to swing to a second position, water discharge means in the water receiving means, means for actuating the latter said means to discharge the water from the receiving means,

means to hold the door in the second position against the tendency of the overbalancing means to swing the door to the ilrst position, and a control means remotely positioned with reference to said door for controlling the latch means and the supply of water to the water receiving means.

3. In a door structure.- the combination of a door of the overhead swinging type, pivot means permitting the door to swing to and from overhead position, overbala'ncing means for swinging the door around said means to one position, means adapted to receive water to overweight the door with reference to said overbalancing means to cause the door to swing to a second position, and means operating automatically when the door reaches the second position to discharge the water from the Water receiving means.

4. In a garage door structure, the combination of a door, means for pivotally supporting the door to permit the door to swing to and from closed position, means normally maintaining the door in one position, a closed Water container, and means for supplying water to the container to move the door to the other position, a valve in the water container, and means at the second position of the door to engage and open automatically the valve to discharge the water from the container. i

5. In a garage door structure, the combination of a door hanger, means for pivotally supporting the door to permit the door to swing to and from closed position, means normally maintaining the door in one position, a closed water container, means for supplying water to the container to move the door to the other position, a valved outlet in the water containenlatch means for holding the door in the second said* position, and means adapted to be actuated when the door moves to the latter said position to open automatically the valve outlet and permit the water to be discharged from the container after the latch means is engaged. l l

6., In a door structure, the combination of a door of the overhead swinging type, means for supporting the door tofpermitthe samelto swing to and from overhead position, overbalancing 9,181,418. means for swinging the door totheoverhead posi-` means for swinging the door to the overhead position. lower edge thereof, said container being adapted to receive and retain water therein, means yfor supplying water to the container, a normally closed -valve in the container, a water disposal means at approximately the position of the door in closed position, and means for automatically actuating the valve of the container to discharge the water from the container to the water dis- 10 pcsal means.

HOKE WOODWARD.

a container secured to the door near the 

